Requiem for Moses by William Kienzle The Father Koesler Mysteries: Book 18

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Synopsis

"Kienzle's books have built a strong following of dedicated readers. Besider their engrossing plots (more twists than a French braid), each offers insight into Catholic tradition and doctrine. The character development is at its very best when Koesler converses with other clergy. . . . In Requiem, it's the hilarious joke-telling and oddly thought-provoking conversation with a rabbi." —Deseret News

"Kienzle, whose Father Koesler mysteries have been consistent bestsellers, has done his usual fine work here. In Requiem for Moses, he presents us with an intriguing puzzle, makes us labor alongside his hero to solve it, and ties up all the loose ends in an eminently satisfying way." —West Coast Review of Books

From William X. Kienzle, author of the classic mystery, The Rosary Murders.

Everyone at the wake seemed to agree on one thing: The deceased, Dr. Moses Green, was a totally reprehensible person. As they confide in Father Robert Koesler, their stories about the newly dead man poured out venomously. What might have been a simple, if nontraditional, Catholic wake for the Jewish doctor quickly turned into a maelstrom of animosity.

Certainly Jake Cameron was glad Green was dead. As the doctor's partner in a string of nightclubs, Cameron was about to lose everything to the mercenary Green. Claire, and her fiance, Stan, also felt abused: Claire's single missed period had ended in a secret hysterectomy Green had performed, which included aborting his own child.

Then there was Green's daughter, Judith, whose engagement to an African-American attorney was met with blackmail attempts from her father. Green's own wife, Margie, who'd been cut out of her husband's substantial will only days before his death, also felt ill-treated by her physician spouse.

But all was not as it appeared at downtown Detroit's old St. Joseph's church. Just before Father Koesler began his generic eulogy for Dr. Green, a miracle occurred, a miracle that everyone agreed was completely undeserved.

Requiem for Moses is packed with Kienzle's signature twists and turns, all featuring the venerable Detroit priest who becomes an often-reluctant detective. As Father Koesler begins solving his eighteenth mystery, he finds himself faced with an odd set of characters and circumstances that are either holy or extremely profane.

With a regular crew that included Lieutenant Zoo Tully and reporter Pat Lennon, Father Koesler is once again hot on the trail of intrigue. Together, these disparate souls create a wonderfully suspenseful and startling book.

Mystery writer and educator William Kienzle was born in Detroit, Michigan on September 11, 1928. Kienzle is a former Catholic priest who served for 20 years until he left the priesthood in 1974. He has served as director for the Center for Contemplative Studies at the University of Dallas and taught writing at St. Mary's College in Orchard Lake, Michigan. Kienzle wrote The Rosary Murders, a mystery novel featuring Father Robert Koestler, a Catholic priest from Detroit. Koestler appears in almost 20 other books. Kienzle died on December 28, 2001.